Clear the Lobby: What laws are MPs voting on this week (w/c 19th October)

Welcome to our weekly feature courtesy of Sebastian Salek, the brains behind Clear the Lobby, working to bring you all the laws MPs are voting on this week, and explained in plain English!

Hey team.

It’s one of those weeks where things could change quickly.

The government has warned that the schedule could be rejigged to make room for Covid-related debates. The way things are going, it’s easy to see that happening.

The biggest scheduled event is the Immigration Bill.

It comes back from the Lords where peers shot down seven amendments. Among them is the so-called Dubs amendment, which ensures that unaccompanied child refugees in Europe will still be allowed to unite with family members in the UK after Brexit.

Presumably, MPs will overturn those amendments, but Lords get another look at the Immigration Bill on Wednesday. It’ll be interesting to see whether they dig their heels in, or accept the will of the Commons. The same goes for the Agriculture Bill, which hits the Upper House on Tuesday.

Then on Wednesday it’s another Opposition Day.

Labour has put forward the “fire and hire” motion that didn’t end up going ahead last week, plus a debate on social care.

And Friday brings another round of private members’ bills.

Until next week. In the meantime, feel free to tweet me, or just reply to this email.

Sebastian (@sebastiansalek)

MONDAY 19 OCTOBER

Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill – consideration of Lords amendments
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Ends free movement of people into the UK after Brexit. Makes EU, EEA and and Swiss nationals and their family members subject to UK immigration controls.
Draft bill / Commons library briefing

TUESDAY 20 OCTOBER

Equal Pay (Information and Claims) Bill
Gives employees the right to know the salary of colleagues doing a similar job, among other things. Ten minute rule motion presented by Stella Creasy.

Non-domestic Rating (Lists) (No. 2) Bill – report stage and 3rd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Postpones the next evaluation of business rates by one year, to 1 April 2023. Before the pandemic, the government had been planning to bring the revaluation forward to 2021.
Draft bill (PDF) / Commons Library briefing

WEDNESDAY 21 OCTOBER

Vehicle Registration Offences (Penalty Points) Bill
Punishes people who commit vehicle registration offences by putting points on their licence. Ten minute rule motion presented by Andrew Griffith. The aim is to crack down on speeding motorists who avoid cameras by obstructing their licence plates.

THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER

No votes scheduled

FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER

Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Increases the maximum prison sentence from six months to five years for some animal welfare offences: causing ‘unnecessary suffering’ to an animal, performing an unpermitted mutilation, illegally docking the tail of a dog, poisoning an animal, and being involved in an animal fight. Private members’ bill presented by Chris Loder.
Draft bill (PDF) / Commons Library briefing

Control of Roadworks Bill – 2nd reading
Sets out requirements for the length, timing and coordination of roadworks, with penalties if they overrun. Private members’ bill presented by Mark Francois.

Mobile Homes Act 1983 (Amendment) Bill – 2nd reading
Amends the Mobile Homes Act 1983. More information not yet available. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Caravan Sites Bill – 2nd reading
Removes the requirement for planning permission when applying for a caravan site licence. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Net Zero Carbon Emissions (Audit) Bill – 2nd reading
Requires an independent audit of the costs and benefits of meeting the government’s target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

International Payments (Audit) Bill – 2nd reading
Requires a cost-benefit analysis and an independent audit before financial aid is given to another country or an international organisation. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Local Authorities (Borrowing and Investment) Bill – 2nd reading
Limits the power of local authorities to invest in commercial risk-taking enterprises and limits public borrowing by local authorities for non-core activities, among other things. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Benefits and Public Services (Restriction) Bill – 2nd reading
Restricts non-UK citizens’ access to benefits and other public services. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Public Services (Availability) Bill – 2nd reading
Ensures that public services are available during weekday evenings, at weekends and on bank holidays. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Working Time and Holiday Pay Bill – 2nd reading
Concerns new regulations to replace the EU Working Time Directive, which sets things like maximum weekly working hours. More information not yet available. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Local Roads (Investment) Bill – 2nd reading
Concerns the maintenance and repair of roads by local authorities in England, and the funding to do so. More information not yet available. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Electronic Cigarettes (Regulation) Bill – 2nd reading
Regulates the use and sale of e-cigarettes. Also exempts them from any UK laws made as a result of the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive, such as size limits on e-cigarette tanks and refill containers, requirements that they be child proof, and obligatory health warnings on packages. Private members’ bill presented by Christopher Chope.

Hong Kong Bill – 2nd reading
Gives Hong Kong residents the right to live in the UK. Private members’ bill presented by Alistair Carmichael.

Vagrancy (Repeal) Bill – 2nd reading
Scraps the Vagrancy Act, a law from 1824 that makes it illegal to sleep rough or beg. Private members’ bill presented by Layla Moran.
Draft bill

Decarbonisation and Economic Strategy Bill – 2nd reading
Brings in a “Green New Deal”, a ten-year plan to transition away from carbon. Private members’ bill presented by Caroline Lucas.
Draft bill (PDF)

Tree-Lined Streets Bill – 2nd reading
Requires building developers to ensure that the streets of major new developments are lined with trees. Private members’ bill presented by Chris Clarkson.

Sexual Offences (Sports Coaches) Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales
Adds sports coaches to the list of “positions of trust” in the Sexual Offences Act. Among other things, this means it’s illegal for them to have any sexual activity with under 18s. Private members’ bill presented by Tracey Crouch.
Draft bill (PDF)

Domestic Properties (Minimum Energy Performance) Bill – 2nd reading
Requires the government to ensure that domestic properties have a minimum energy performance rating of C on an Energy Performance Certificate. Private members’ bill presented by Sir David Amess.

European Citizens’ Rights Bill – 2nd reading
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Guarantees the immigration rights of EU, EEA, EFTA and Swiss citizens resident in the United Kingdom. Requires the government to provide physical proof. Ten minute rule motion by Christine Jardine.

Remote Participation in House of Commons Proceedings (Motion) Bill – 2nd reading
Requires the Leader of the House of Commons to propose a motion that states all MPs have the same right to take part in proceedings, and establishes a way for MPs who can’t come to Westminster to participate and vote remotely. Private members’ bill presented by Dawn Butler.

Want more?
Check your MP’s voting record and read the day’s debates at TheyWorkForYou.

LAST WEEK’S VOTES

Passed

• Agriculture Bill – Lords amendments were rejected, so goes back to Lords
• School Breakfast – goes to 2nd reading
• Fisheries Bill – passed with amendments, so goes back to Lords
• Dogs and Domestic Animals (Accommodation and Protection) Bill – goes to 2nd reading
• Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill – goes to Lords
• Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Bill – goes to committee
• Prisons (Substance Testing) Bill – goes to committee
• Registers of Births and Deaths Bill – goes to committee

Postponed

• Company Transparency (Carbon in Supply Chains) Bill
• Death by Dangerous Driving (Sentencing) Bill
• Illegal Immigration (Offences) Bill
• Pedicabs (London) Bill
• Magistrates (Retirement Age) Bill

Click here to read details of the bills in last week’s newsletter.